"To say we were shocked by our audit results is an understatement. We were staggered that thousands of motorists are sitting on an automotive time bomb.

"Some vehicles we checked had three or even four defective tyres, which would amount to 12 penalty points and up to £10,000 in fines. It is that serious.

"The prospect of penalty points to your licence, let alone the cost implications and safety element, is particularly strong and a fact that we hope will resonate with a number of people.

"The aim of this campaign is more than just getting people to change illegal tyres. We want it to have far more longevity than that, with messages that will stay with drivers for a long, long time."

To supplement the campaign, every HiQ centre will be offering free tyre safety checks for the rest of the year, kicking off on the Sepetmber 1 with the 'Back to school' safety check programme.

Recent research suggests that up to 3.5 million motorists in the UK are driving on illegal tyres3, which further supports HiQ's case that a worrying ignorance exists amongst drivers when it comes to road safety.

To make the most of HiQ's free tyre safety checks, please click on www.hiqonline.co.uk for your nearest centre.

To get a Gap Insurance quote please contact Click4Gap on 0844 357 8300 or by email email@click4group.co.uk.